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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25865860">The Tudors, Season 3, Episode 3, Dissension and Punishment</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer'>TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Tudors (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Analysis, Episode Review, Episode: s03e03 Dissension and Punishment, Meta, Nonfiction, Season/Series 03, Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:40:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,696</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25865860</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Warning: Contains spoilers for the episode and the rest of the series. Complete.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Tudors, Season 3, Episode 3, Dissension and Punishment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Open to Christmastide in London, 1536.</p>
<p>Gardiner lights Henry’s candle, Henry lights Jane’s, and she lights Mary’s.</p>
<p>There’s a cool shot of the choirgirls walking through the halls with lit candles in the formation of a cross.</p>
<p>Rich complains to Cromwell about how hard it is to promote Reformism when Catholic practises are still performed in court. Seeing how Charles Brandon and CB are standing near them, I’d think Cromwell would be worried about them hearing Rich’s rant, but his only response is to stare impassively at Aske.</p>
<p>Aske asks Edward when he’ll meet Henry. Edward answers it’ll be soon, and in the meantime, Henry wants a letter written explaining the circumstances of the rebellion.</p>
<p>Mary and Jane both give supportive smiles and nods to Aske, and he shows his respect to both.</p>
<p>In the next scene, Hans Holbein the Younger finally makes his first appearance on the show. Awesomely, the actor largely resembles Holbein’s self-portrait. He’s painting a portrait of Ursula lying naked in front of a mirror.</p>
<p>He’s interrupted by Ursula’s fiancé barging in. Holbein throws him to the ground, and Ursula inquires, “Is he alive?”</p>
<p>The next scene has Francis sitting nearby as Holbein is apologising to Henry for committing assault. In a good mood, Henry doesn’t seem to believe Holbein would actually assault someone.</p>
<p>Holbein explains a man barged in when he was trying to do the portrait of Ursula Henry commissioned, and in response, he threw the man into some shelves. Both Henry and Francis find this amusing, and Henry declares he did the right thing before correctly pointing out he would have done the same thing.</p>
<p>Henry orders him to finish the portrait quickly.</p>
<p>Holbein leaves, and another man is announced. Henry rolls his eyes, and the man appears. It turns out he’s Robert, Ursula’s fiancé. Henry observes Robert looks out of sorts. Heh.</p>
<p>Robert wants to file a complaint against Holbein, and Henry shows faux shock when told of Holbein painting Ursula naked. Then, he refuses to punish Holbein with the explaination he can’t endow men with the artistic genius Holbein possesses.</p>
<p>I don’t know if it’s intended or not, but I like the subtle parallel to the pope declaring they forgive Michelangelo due to him being a genius.</p>
<p>In response, Robert withdraws his complaint.</p>
<p>Later, in the throne room, there are people milling about. Presenting Lady Salisbury to Henry, Mary reminds him she’s her old governess. Henry declares Lady S an example to the court. He asks if her son, Pole, is still studying in Italy. It’s revealed, until recently, Henry was paying Pole’s fees. Henry also offered to make him the youngest bishop of Winchester, but to Henry’s displeasure, he refused.</p>
<p>Lady S leaves, and Henry notices Jane and Mary stealing glances at one another. He asks if they’re conspiring. They have Elizabeth presented to him. He and Elizabeth speak French, and placing her on his lap, he kisses her.</p>
<p>Aske is announced, and Elizabeth is transferred to Mary’s lap.</p>
<p>Leading Aske to a private room, Henry says he believes he was misinformed about the rebellion. Having read his explanation, he’s convinced Aske and the others did the right thing. Aske wonders if this means Henry means to fulfil the promises Charles Brandon made on his behalf.</p>
<p>Henry answers in the affirmative. He adds he even plans to have Jane’s coronation in York. Bringing up the fact Aske has protested against the advisors without noble blood, he claims to agree, and he asks Aske not to say anything.</p>
<p>In the first season, the fact William, Anthony, and Charles Brandon were common men was made a big deal of, especially in regards to Charles Brandon. From the second season onward, though, no one, not even him, seems to remember. Cromwell’s non-noble blood is made an issue of even after he’s ennobled, and Charles Brandon himself at one point uses the fact against Cromwell. Here, it seems Aske and the others are wary of Charles Brandon, but none of them ever mentions him as being one of the poisonous advisers or makes any protests against dealing with him on the grounds of him not having noble blood.</p>
<p>Henry gives Aske a coat as a gift.</p>
<p>The next scene is of Francis Bryan and Anne Seymour having sex. Afterwards, looking under his eyepatch, she says Edward would likely kill Francis if he found the two of them together. Francis quips Edward’s always seemed so nice. Heh.</p>
<p>There’s a shot of a hooded person walking outside in the snow, and inside somewhere, Aske is praying.</p>
<p>The hooded figure enters. It’s Mary. As a scene in the fourth season will show, this shows she’s definitely Henry’s daughter.</p>
<p>They express their respect for one another, and he makes it clear he hopes she’ll someday take the throne. She gives him a diamond stone to remember her by.</p>
<p>The next day, Jane is greeting people outside. She asks Edward about their father, and instead of telling her they’ll talk later or making up a lie, he says he intended to tell her at a better time before announcing their father is dead.</p>
<p>Naturally, she’s having trouble processing this, and he orders her to keep smiling at the people. It turns out John died a week ago.</p>
<p>I guess a week ago wasn’t a good time to tell her. If John had died the night before or earlier in the morning, then, even Edward telling her now of all times would be understandable. It could be him trying to deal with the shock, and being unable to stop himself when she asked, even if logically he knew it wasn’t the best time. However, there’s no excuse for him hiding John’s death from her for a week.</p>
<p>He says he arranged the funeral, and she points out he should have told her. His excuse is her place is at the castle with Henry.</p>
<p>Henry arrives, and he and Jane go over to the horses. Appearing, Anne presumes Edward told Jane about John. She asks if she’s okay. Edward’s answer is, “Of course. She’s the Queen.”</p>
<p>Henry makes a public speech on his horse forgiving the rebels. He and Jane ride off.</p>
<p>At Darcy’s castle, Aske insists Henry’s word can completely be trusted. The others want to raise another rebellion. Begging them not to, he points out how it could jeopardise everything. Refusing to listen, they leave.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Lady R and Jane talk about Elizabeth and Mary. Jane wishes Mary lived at court. Lady R tells her about Henry and Ursula, and subtly unhappy, Jane accepts it. She implies she’s pregnant.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, Henry looks at the portrait of Ursula. Charles Brandon and Cromwell come in. He orders Charles Brandon to make the rebels swear an oath to help the commissioners on the pain of death. Charles Brandon asks about the parliament, and Henry orders him to tell them there have been necessary delays. Charles Brandon protests he gave his word.</p>
<p>Henry rants about sin and threatening the realm, etc. He finishes with, “They have threatened me, Charles.”</p>
<p>Unhappy, Charles Brandon slowly resigned himself as Henry ranted, but those words are what he’ll privately use to try to keep the guilt away. He dealt with a threat to Henry, just as he always has and always will.</p>
<p>Cromwell tries to speak up, but Henry uses classism to shut him up. He could have used the fact Cromwell should have realised the potential for rebellion and took pre-emptive measures against it, but no, he has to bring up Cromwell’s low birth. He dismisses them both.</p>
<p>At a rebel camp, Charlie talks to some men, and he still has the unexplainable mark of red on his face.</p>
<p>There’s a shout, and an unridden but saddled horse rides into the camp. Arrows begin shooting the rebels down.</p>
<p>At Darcy’s castle, a wounded man appears.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Cromwell is delivered a letter. Thrilled the rebels broke their promises, he happily says they’ll declare martial law. Then, he rushes off to see Henry.</p>
<p>In the next scene, rebels are rounded up, and Charles Brandon informs one of the captains he’ll be taken to London to be examined. Correcting he’ll be tortured, the captain accuses Charles Brandon of lying.</p>
<p>He’s taken away, and Charles Brandon is given a list of 74 men who refused to sign the oath. He signs their death warrant.</p>
<p>Some of the men are taken as sobbing women follow the guards. When the men are hung from a tree, the guards hold the women back.</p>
<p>From the distance, Charles Brandon makes the sign of the cross.</p>
<p>Later, in a tavern, one of the guards notices Charles Brandon’s mood. The guard says it was all well done, and he continues they need to arrest Darcy, Aske, and another man on suspicion of treason without letting them know.</p>
<p>In Darcy’s castle, Charles Brandon is told the second rebellion was not done on Aske’s orders or approved of by him. Aske makes it clear he truly believes Henry’s promises. Charles Brandon answers he knows they’re loyal to Henry, but they need to travel with him to explain things to Henry.</p>
<p>Darcy uses his age and health as a refusal, and Aske says, though he trusts Henry’s justness, he fears some of Henry’s advisors doing him harm. Charles Brandon offers to write letters to both Henry and the council in their favour with the promise to show them the letters before they leave.</p>
<p>The next day, Aske says goodbye to his family. He comforts his crying daughter but not his crying son.</p>
<p>During a meal, noticing Jane is having quail eggs, Henry asks if she didn’t have those yesterday. Jane answers she’s had a rather special craving for them, and Henry realises she’s pregnant.</p>
<p>The next scene has Edward raping one of the captains with a hot poker.</p>
<p>Several people were insulted on Edward’s behalf due to this scene and several other scenes. Apparently, though cold and stern, many people in the Tudor-era respected him. From what I’ve read from others, he was a fair man by the standards of the time.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, Charles Brandon brings Aske to Francis. Francis has orders to take Aske to the tower, and assuring him it’s for his own protection, he promises Aske’ll be lodged comfortably. Cromwell wants to ask him a few questions.</p>
<p>Realisation sets in, and Aske starts to say he trusts Charles Brandon. Interrupting, Charles Brandon swears he’s done his best for Aske.</p>
<p>Next, Charles Brandon goes to see Cromwell. Despite him being announced, a reading Cromwell doesn’t acknowledge him until he speaks up. There’s nothing ambiguous about it this time.</p>
<p>For a moment, Cromwell just looks at him, and Charles Brandon demands to know what he wants. Cromwell says he has some reports, and exasperatedly, with his eyes closed, presumably to keep from rolling them, Charles Brandon declares, “You always have reports, Cromwell.”</p>
<p>Cromwell brings up the fact, out of the thousands involved in the rebellion, Charles Brandon only found 74 guilty. Charles Brandon insists he hung the leaders and the ones guiltiest of inciting the rebellion. Cromwell says there have been questions of whether Charles Brandon isn’t showing too much leniency and of whether or not he’s truly Reformist.</p>
<p>Ready to destroy someone, Charles Brandon demands to know who’s been making such accusations.</p>
<p>“His majesty,” Cromwell answers.</p>
<p>The thing is: Cromwell gives his life to Reformism. Charles Brandon gives his life to Henry. Cromwell’s fatal mistake is he misreads Charles Brandon, but Charles Brandon doesn’t misread him.</p>
<p>He knows Charles Brandon wants to destroy him, but he thinks Charles Brandon wants to retain Henry’s favour for wealth, nobility, and power it involves.</p>
<p>This is wrong. Charles Brandon didn’t particularly want the dukehood. He knew marrying Mary wouldn’t get him advancement. In fact, he knew it might be his downfall. He wants Henry, and he wants to be Henry’s. He’ll settle for the latter, and anyone who tries to take this from him must be destroyed. Cromwell lives for Reformism, and since Charles Brandon can’t take this away, he’ll settle for depriving Cromwell of everything else, including his life.</p>
<p>Cromwell says Henry wants him (Charles Brandon) to go kill more rebels.</p>
<p>Next, Cromwell is separately interrogating Aske and Darcy.</p>
<p>Like More did, Aske believes Reformism will bring about the end of Catholicism. He gives a speech about the good the abbeys did such as giving alms and shelter to the poor, helping build and repair homes, and helping parents teach children how to be virtuous.</p>
<p>Speaking of More, Cromwell doesn’t understand this.</p>
<p>Fanatics believe the world will suffer if what they believe isn’t followed, and in response, they make the world suffer by trying to get everyone to follow what they believe. Organised religion has its good points and bad points. Setting aside other religions, Catholicism vs. other denominations of Christianity comes down to which has the most fanatical defenders and which has the most rational members at the time when the question is posed. In this instance in the show, they’re about even.</p>
<p>Now, the next scene, if it was ever discussed by those involved with the show, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall. I know canonically Charles Brandon is Henry’s best friend and loyal subject. Nevertheless, with this scene, I honestly don’t understand how anyone can interpret it in anyway but Charles Brandon being unhealthily in love with Henry.</p>
<p>At the Brandon household, CB asks Charles Brandon what’s wrong. She says he’s been talking in his sleep. Alarmed, he asks what he says. Not answering, she urges him to unburden his heart, and he warns her the answer will change everything. She still encourages him to tell her.</p>
<p>He must unlawfully kill men, women, and children or, “lose the love of my King”. She’s naturally horrified at the fact he’ll be killing women and children. He insists he has no choice.</p>
<p>She demands, “What if they were your own children?”</p>
<p>This gives him pause, but then, resolved, he looks at her. “I would still have to do it.”</p>
<p>Henry never presents him with such a choice, and there’s a possibility him doing so would be the breaking point. Charles Brandon would find enough of his heart in them to either kill Henry or die protecting them. There’s also the possibility he wouldn’t, though.</p>
<p>He wouldn’t kill his children to protect his earthly values or his titles. He wouldn’t kill them to protect himself from torture and/or imprisonment. Yet here, he’s saying, if he had to kill them to make sure Henry would still love him, he would.</p>
<p>Charles Brandon shouldn’t have made the promise to never to make CB cry. She cried over his affair but was still able to be happy. Now, however, he’s revealed who he really is. He’s not a full person. His world literally revolves around Henry, even after the boy he fell in love with is long gone.</p>
<p>Right now, some part wishes to be free, but it’s not a big or strong enough part. He could quietly retire, live his life away from court, and only see Henry when absolutely necessary, and he knows this. But Henry holds his true heart, and just as Catherine of Aragon did, he’ll fight to stay near. She had some lines she wouldn’t cross, but so far, he doesn’t.</p>
<p>In the tower, Henry comes to visit Aske, and I’m not sure this scene isn’t a dream or delusion on the part of Aske. Henry certainly sounds like Henry when he talks of the misdeeds of monks, but Aske’s subconscious could’ve put together a more complete picture of Henry than Aske’s conscious mind has.</p>
<p>Aske doesn’t answer any of Henry’s religious arguments, but when Henry says he knows Aske is a true and loyal subject, Aske reaffirms his devotion to Henry. Sighing, Henry curls up in his fur coat.</p>
<p>Next, there’s a shot of three heads on a pike. One of them is Charlie’s.</p>
<p>Later, Francis brings a man from Calais in to see Henry. Henry opens the box. It contains eggs. Francis expresses his curiosity, and Henry answers, “Quail’s eggs. To feed a Queen.”</p>
<p>Fin.</p>
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